U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson
pledged Thursday to fast-track efforts to get congressional approval for a
waiver NASA needs to get astronauts to the International Space Station after
the space shuttles are retired in 2010.

"We are going to make
a full, true-blue push to get (the waiver) passed," the Orlando Democrat
said after emerging from a meeting with NASA Administrator Michael Griffin.

Griffin declined to comment
on his meeting with Nelson or on his meetings with other lawmakers this week to
garner support on the issue.

Nelson said he hopes the
Senate will approve the waiver by unanimous consent. However, opposition by
even one member would doom that effort.

In that case, Nelson said
he would send the waiver to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for its
approval, which would then send the measure back to the full Senate for a vote.

"We don't like the
position that we're in, but we don't have any choice if we want to have access
to our own space station during a four- or five-year gap," Nelson said.

NASA is seeking an
exemption from a nonproliferation law that forbids the United States buying
space-related goods and services from Russia while that nation exports nuclear
technology to Iran and other nations considered hostile by the U.S. government.

NASA currently holds a
waiver from the ban that expires in 2011, but the agency needs an extension as
soon as possible to give Russia enough time to build Soyuz.

Concern over whether
lawmakers would grant the waiver comes when U.S.-Russian relations are icy. The
recent
Russian invasion of neighboring Georgia further soured some opinions.

Not helping is the current
congressional schedule - lawmakers expect to recess for the rest of the year
within a few weeks so that they can return to campaigning.

"If worse came to
worst, we could still do it in January, but we need to get this behind
us," Nelson said. "A new president would recognize we have to do it.
But how much of a learning curve is there? You have to get a new administration
up to snuff."

Nelson said Griffin has
learned the State Department supports extending the waiver. National Security
Adviser Steve Hadley also would like to see it passed, Nelson said.

Rep. Howard Berman, the
California Democrat who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also
supports the effort, according to his spokeswoman.

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